The Vanguard moved silently through the industrial district under the cover of night. They approached a nondescript warehouse—one of several properties once owned by Kingsley International but sold years ago, now supposedly abandoned. Yet, according to recent intel, it was the epicenter of the unusual energy readings they had been tracking.
"This doesn’t sit right," Mira (Echo) murmured, her midnight blue hair blending with the shadows. Her empathic senses tingled with unease. "It’s too obvious."
"It’s meant to be," Li Chen (Mirage) replied softly. "Whoever’s behind this wants someone to find it—us or someone else."
Dr. Elena Ramirez (Pulse) adjusted her energy scanner, the faint glow of her suit casting minimal light on the cracked pavement. "The readings are genuine. Someone’s manipulating meteor energy here, and it’s significant."
"Let’s stick to the plan," Alex Mercer (Superman) said, voice calm but firm. "Stay alert. Pulse, stick with me—this is your first away mission. This could be a trap."
Marcus (Vortex) smirked. "Isn’t it always?"
Inside, the warehouse’s interior was dim, a maze of rusting equipment and empty crates. Dust motes floated in the stale air, disturbed only by the soft tread of the team’s footsteps.
Elena scanned the area, frowning. "These energy signatures are coming from below."
Mira’s unease deepened. "It feels wrong—like someone’s trying too hard to make this look suspicious."
Li Chen narrowed her eyes. "If this was Shadowstep’s doing, it’s unusually sloppy. If it’s someone else, they’ve managed to stay hidden for months, so why let us find this now?"
They discovered a concealed hatch in the floor, its edges faintly scorched as if recently used. Marcus forced it open, revealing a narrow staircase descending into the depths.
The basement contrasted sharply with the decrepit warehouse above. Sterile and brightly lit, it resembled a high-tech laboratory. Screens displayed streams of data, and meteor fragments hovered in glowing containment fields. At the center of the room stood a sleek device humming faintly, connected to a meteor fragment glowing with unstable energy.
Elena’s eyes widened. "This is advanced. Whoever set this up has resources rivaling the best labs in the world."
“Beth Kingsley?" Marcus muttered under his breath.
Alex shook his head. "Too obvious, and she’s too high-profile. Why leave this here for us to find?"
Suddenly, a holographic emitter activated, filling the room with the flickering image of a woman clad in a sleek, minimalist suit and a smooth golden mask. Her voice, modulated and emotionless, filled the space.
"Welcome, Vanguard," the figure said. "You’re just in time to witness an experiment."
"Who are you?" Alex demanded.
"Call me Sovereign," she replied. "And before you waste your time speculating, no, this facility isn’t mine. It belongs to those who consider themselves your enemies—those who think chaos is the key to control."
Li Chen’s eyes narrowed. "Shadowstep."
The hologram tilted its head. "An individual who thrives in disorder, indeed. They might set up a lab like this."
Mira stepped forward, her empathy gauging Sovereign’s emotional state. "Why reveal yourself? If you’re not responsible, what do you gain by warning us?"
Sovereign’s tone sharpened. "You think I’m helping you? Hardly. I’m here because you meddle, stumbling into matters you can’t understand, with powers you barely control."
The device at the room’s center whirred to life. Waves of faint, pulsating energy radiated outward, washing over The Vanguard like an oppressive tide.
Mira staggered, her empathic senses scrambled. "I… I can’t… focus!"
Marcus felt his connection to the air currents sever. "What is this?"
Li Chen gasped as her illusions flickered and vanished. "I can’t hold any illusions…"
Alex stood firm, unaffected. He moved quickly to Li Chen’s side. "Stay with me."
The hologram observed, intrigued. "Fascinating. You are unaffected."
Alex ignored her question. "Turn it off."
Sovereign ignored him, her tone turning analytical. "Is it psychological? A difference in how your powers manifest? Or something deeper you haven’t realized yet?"
Elena’s voice was strained as she attempted to interface with the device. "It’s amplifying the fragment’s instability. We don’t have much time, Alex."
"Do it," Alex ordered. "I’ll handle the rest."
Despite their powers being suppressed, each member contributed what they could. Mira, her empathy blunted but not broken, projected as much calm as she could muster to keep panic at bay. Marcus supported Elena physically, steadying her as she worked the console. Li Chen, though unable to produce illusions, searched for hidden failsafes or devices with her keen observation.
Alex focused on the nullifier device. It pulsed ominously, the meteor fragment at its core glowing brighter with each wave. He flew toward it, landing heavily beside the machine.
"Stop this!" he demanded, glaring at the hologram.
Sovereign’s voice remained calm, almost amused. "Why would I? This is a valuable experiment. I learn more every second you struggle."
Alex gritted his teeth and unleashed his heat vision at the device. The beam struck the meteor fragment, causing the field to flicker but not fail.
"It’s shielding itself," Elena called out, voice tight. "The fragment is strengthening its defenses."
"Then I’ll break through," Alex said resolutely.
He struck the device repeatedly, metal buckling under his incredible strength. Sparks flew as he pried it open, exposing the fragment inside.
"Interesting," Sovereign mused. "There is something unique about you… or your powers."
Alex ignored her, focusing on the fragment. Elena’s warning rang in his ears: the energy building toward critical mass.
He grabbed the fragment, enduring its searing heat with his invulnerability. With a powerful leap, he smashed through the warehouse ceiling and hurled the fragment high into the night sky. It detonated harmlessly far above, its energy dissipating in a brilliant cascade.
The nullification field vanished instantly, the team’s powers returning. Marcus summoned a gust of wind to extinguish small fires, Mira regained her empathic clarity, and Li Chen stood ready once more. Elena breathed a sigh of relief.
"She’s gone," Li Chen noted, scanning the room.
The hologram had disappeared, leaving them in silence.
Back at their command room, a heavy mood settled over The Vanguard.
"Whoever she is," Mira said quietly, "this Sovereign knows Alex is immune to these effects, even if not why."
Elena nodded thoughtfully. "She’s testing us, gathering data. This wasn’t just a trap—it was a field study."
Li Chen folded her arms. "We need to find out why Alex is different and how Sovereign fits into all this."
Marcus looked at Alex, curiosity in his gaze. "Why are you immune, Alex? What makes you different?"
Alex stared out the window, city lights reflecting in his blue eyes. "I don’t know, but we have to find out before she does."
Far away, in a private lab, Sovereign replayed the footage. She lingered on the first moment Alex stood unaffected by the nullification field, zooming in on his expression.
"So," she murmured with quiet satisfaction, "you’re not like the others. What secrets do you hold, Alex Mercer?"
She turned to another console, new experiments waiting in the wings. "No matter," she said to herself. "I’ll find the answer. And when I do… even Superman will fall."